🎶 In Praise of Music — Tickets Now Available! Join us on Sunday, 11 January 2026 (11:30 AM – 12:30 PM) at the Whanganui Collegiate School Chapel for one of the most moving and uplifting traditions of Whanganui Opera Week. Featuring glorious choral works and celebrated hymns, this annual concert places the spotlight on the power of music itself — a morning of harmony, reflection, and joy. 📍 Whanganui Collegiate School Chapel 🎫 Tickets $20: www.whanganuivenues.co.nz or TicketSearch https://rwoh.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/sales An unmissable moment in our week-long celebration of opera and song. #WhanganuiOperaWeek #NZOperaSchool #InPraiseOfMusic #Whanganui #LiveMusic #ChoralCelebration

🎶 Meet the Class of 2026 – Blake Scanlen 🎶 Introducing baritone Blake Scanlen from Auckland — a newcomer to opera, but one already showing huge dedication and curiosity for the craft. With a background in choral and oratorio singing and training under Catrin Johnsson, Blake joins the New Zealand Opera School to explore opera as a storytelling art form — strengthening his technique, expanding his range, and discovering new confidence as a solo performer. He sees NZOS 2026 as a chance to experiment, learn, and find new pathways for his voice — and we can’t wait to see where this journey leads. #NZOperaSchool #NZOS2026 #OperaAotearoa #NextGeneration #OperaTraining #BaritoneVoices

🎉 WOW — tickets are LIVE! 🎟️ Whanganui Opera Week 2026 is officially on the horizon, and we couldn’t be more excited! Our beloved Café Evenings are already SOLD OUT, and we’re so grateful for the incredible support pouring in❤️ Now it’s time to grab your seats for one of the most cherished events of the week — the Opera Recital at the Whanganui Regional Museum! 📅 Wednesday, 7 January 2026 🕐 1:00–2:15 PM 📍 Whanganui Regional Museum 🎫 $25 tickets: whanganuivenues.co.nz (BUY TICKETS tab) or TicketSearch here: https://rwoh.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/sales Presented by the students of the New Zealand Opera School, this special recital promises an afternoon of splendid music and pure operatic joy in one of Whanganui’s most beautiful spaces — the museum’s atrium, renowned for its incredible acoustics. Join us as we celebrate 32 years of the New Zealand Opera School, proudly supported by Whanganui Collegiate School and John Turkington Forestry. And one more thing… 👀 Did you spot our Whanganui Opera Week advert in Saturday's NZ Herald? #WhanganuiOperaWeek #NZOperaSchool #Whanganui #OperaNZ #SupportTheArts #LiveOpera

✨ Friday Nights, Hilton Style ✨ Opera, skyline views, and that unmistakable Friday feeling — you know what time it is! 🎶 Join us this Friday, 6:30 PM at Hilton Auckland, where the ever-charming Jack Doyle and the radiant Antonia Brightwell will fill Bellini Lounge with their voices! Expect stunning vocals, a cozy glass-in-hand atmosphere, and all the warmth and wit that make our Hilton Fridays so loved. 🎤 Antonia Brightwell — Soprano 🎤 Jack Doyle — Tenor 🎹 Claire Caldwell — Piano Come early, find your favourite seat by the water, and let the music do the rest. 🌅 #OperaAtTheHilton #NZOperaSchool #OperaInAuckland #LiveOpera #HiltonFridays

Meet Arana Ashby, a baritone from Rotorua and a first-time NZOS student. Currently in his third year of a Bachelor of Music at Waikato University under the guidance of Ian Campbell, Arana brings with him a strong sense of purpose and cultural pride. His dream? To open the world of opera to rangatahi Māori, and show that this art form isn’t distant — it’s a space where identity, language, and talent can shine together. We can’t wait to welcome Arana to Whanganui this January and see his voice — and his vision — grow. #NZOperaSchool #NZOS #OperaAotearoa #MāoriVoices #NextGeneration #OperaTraining

✨ Alumni Update: Cecily Shaw ✨ It’s been a full and exciting season for mezzo-soprano Cecily Shaw, now deep into her studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama Opera Course in London. This term, Cecily performs in Così fan tutte, La clemenza di Tito, Roberto Devereux, and The Consul — all part of Guildhall’s upcoming Autumn Opera Scenes this November. Between opera scenes and her quirky “Y2K Humpday Cabaret” with fellow Kiwi Alexandra Francis, Cecily continues to pour her energy into music — even while juggling the realities of student life abroad. For those who’d like to support Cecily as she balances rent, study, and singing, she’s set up a Ko-fi page where friends and followers can lend a hand: https://ko-fi.com/socratena We’re so proud to see her pursuing her dream with such heart, humour, and determination. 🌍🎶 #NZOperaSchool #NZOSAlumni #GuildhallSchool #OperaAbroad #KiwiVoices #OperaTraining #AlumniUpdate

Meet Faamanu Fonoti-Fuimaono – Baritone 🎶 NZ Opera School Class of 2026🎶 Returning to Whanganui for his fourth year, Faamanu Fonoti-Fuimaono brings with him both passion and precision — a voice shaped in Waikato and rooted in the spirit of Flaxmere. Currently completing his Master in Advanced Opera Studies at the University of Waikato under Nikki Li Hartliep, Faamanu is focused on refining his technique, deepening his character work, and mastering language clarity across Italian, German, and French repertoire. He sees this next School as a chance to grow even further — preparing for upcoming overseas auditions and the next step in his artistic journey. From Handel and Mendelssohn to Verdi and Korngold, Faamanu’s repertoire shows both versatility and heart. We can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes him. #NZOperaSchool #ClassOf2026 #OperaTraining #Baritone #NZTalent #OperaInAotearoa

🎹 Returning Pianist Spotlight: Bruce Greenfield We are deeply grateful to have Bruce Greenfield return to NZOS—a pianist and répétiteur who has been with the School since its very beginning in 1994. Over the years, Bruce has accompanied and coached countless students, rehearsing opera scores inside out and mentoring voices through the most challenging works. Even in retirement from the NZ Opera Company, he continues to pour his heart into training young singers at NZOS. Welcome back, Bruce—your presence brings continuity, depth, and musical insight to every class. #NZOperaSchool #NZOS #Pianist #Répétiteur #OperaTraining

🎶 Announcing the New Zealand Opera School Class of 2026 🎶 Every January, Whanganui becomes a place where talent meets transformation — and where the next generation of New Zealand’s operatic voices take their next leap forward. We are thrilled to announce the NZ Opera School Class of 2026: Arana Ashby • Blake Scanlen • Faamanu Fonoti-Fuimaono • Tomairangi Henare • Bayley Goldstone • Ivan Zhang • Taliai Fifita • Tom Varney • Jack Doyle • Cadence Chung • Charlotte Secker • Grace Burt • Rose Aldridge • Caitlin Roberts • Emma Jones • Erin Connelly-Whyte • Jasmine Jessen • Millie Trusttum • Niamh Bentley • Sarah Mileham • Shana Matthews Over the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing each of these remarkable singers — sharing their stories, journeys, and aspirations as they prepare to join us in Whanganui this January. We can’t wait for you to meet them. Here’s to the Class of 2026 — the voices of tomorrow. 🌟 #NZOperaSchool #ClassOf2026 #OperaTraining #FutureVoices #OperaInAotearoa #OperaJourney #NZOpera

From his beginnings at the very first New Zealand Opera School in 1995 to commanding the world’s most prestigious stages — including the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro alla Scala, Vienna State Opera, Bayreuth, and Salzburg — Simon O’Neill’s career is one of brilliance shaped by dedication. His collaborations with legendary conductors like Sir Simon Rattle, Daniel Barenboim, and Christian Thielemann, his Grammy Award, and his appointment as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit are milestones that reflect a lifetime of artistry — one rooted in Whanganui. As Patron, Simon reminds us that every international success story begins with belief, discipline, and the right foundation — values that still define the NZ Opera School today. 🌟 From Whanganui to the world, the journey of young voices continues. #NZOperaSchool #OperaTraining #SimonONeill #OperaInAotearoa #OperaJourney #NZTalent #OperaEducation

From Aotearoa to one of Europe’s great stages — Morgan-Andrew King is making his mark at Oper Frankfurt. His powerful Māori bass voice has already shone in his first production of the season, and next up he prepares for the premiere of Boris Godunov this November, singing Nikitich / Chernikovsky. With a growing list of roles under his belt — from Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte) to Banco (Macbeth) — it’s inspiring to see Morgan building his career on such a prestigious stage. 📸 Barbara Aumüller #NZOperaSchool #AlumniUpdate #OperaFuture #Bass #OperaTraining

As Patron of the New Zealand Opera School, Grammy Award-winning tenor Simon O’Neill reflects on the early days that shaped his career — and the mentors whose lessons still echo through every note he sings. He remembers Frances Wilson, whose drive and generosity taught singers that artistry is more than just voice — it’s discipline, courage, and truth. After the School, Frances invited Simon to her New York studio, opening the path to Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard, the San Francisco Opera’s Merola Programme, and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Finals. And Raymond Hawthorne, whose legendary acting classes at NZOS demanded honesty and emotional depth, helping young artists understand that opera is storytelling at its most human. Their influence still resonates through every singer who passes through Whanganui — a legacy Simon now champions as our Patron. ✨ We can’t wait to see who will join us for the Class of 2026 and carry this spirit forward. #NZOperaSchool #NZOS #OperaTraining #SimonONeill #OperaInAotearoa #OperaEducation